Sonyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/sony
en-usFri, 18 Aug 2017 01:48:19 -0400Fri, 18 Aug 2017 01:48:19 -0400The latest news on Sony from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/sonic-mania-review-2017-8The new 'Sonic the Hedgehog' is the first good Sonic game ever madehttp://www.businessinsider.com/sonic-mania-review-2017-8
Wed, 16 Aug 2017 11:09:25 -0400Ben Gilbert
<p>When "Sonic the Hedgehog" burst onto the Sega Genesis console in 1991, he was a very impressive little guy. He ran incredibly fast, as did the game he starred in — it was especially impressive compared to pretty much anything else out there.</p>
<p>There was only one problem: "Sonic the Hedgehog" isn't a very good game. </p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/59230c6063914743008b56ed-2400/mariovssonic.jpg" alt="Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog" data-mce-source="Nintendo/Sega"></p>
<p>Your nostalgia-laced memory may be screaming out in anguish at that statement, but revisiting so-called "classic" Sonic games will confirm the assertion. It's fast, and pretty, but not much else — and things haven't gotten better over time.</p>
<p>With "Sonic Mania," that long losing streak is finally broken. Not only is "Sonic Mania" a good Sonic game, it's a good game <em>period</em>. </p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-sonic-mania-2017-5" >A new Sonic game is on the way, and it looks exactly like Sonic did 20-plus years ago</a></strong></p>
<h3>"Sonic Mania" isn't just an homage to past Sonic games — it's an homage to your memories of those games.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/59944c6bf1a8502b008b54fb-400-300/sonic-mania-isnt-just-an-homage-to-past-sonic-games--its-an-homage-to-your-memories-of-those-games.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>To be clear, "Sonic Mania" is rife with homage to the long-running "Sonic the Hedgehog" series. Starting with the main title screen and running throughout the game, there are references galore in everything from Sonic's idle animation to the Eggman/Robotnik-themed levels to the many, many secret areas.</p>
<p>But the game itself isn't entirely built on homage &mdash; "Sonic Mania" is instead a love letter to your nostalgia. It&nbsp;<em>feels</em> like your rose-tinted memories of playing the original games over 20 years ago,&nbsp;though it's actually a far more modern game.&nbsp;</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>It runs at a stunning 60 frames-per-second — quickly and smoothly — which makes Sonic's high-speed movement look better than ever. There's a real sense of momentum to Sonic's speed, like you're controlling a snowball rolling downhill.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/59944f67b0e0b526008b5591-400-300/it-runs-at-a-stunning-60-frames-per-second--quickly-and-smoothly--which-makes-sonics-high-speed-movement-look-better-than-ever-theres-a-real-sense-of-momentum-to-sonics-speed-like-youre-controlling-a-snowball-rolling-downhill.jpg" alt="" />
<p> <p>What made Sonic games so different from Mario games, aside from speed and visuals, was their&nbsp;sense of momentum. Sonic zooms through loops, flies into the air and catches a downhill&nbsp;<em>just right</em> so as to keep the momentum going &mdash; he's like a motorbike&nbsp;more than a Mario-esque character.</p>
<p>"Sonic Mania" captures that feeling perfectly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>As seen above in an early example, Sonic (followed by Tails, naturally) is rushing downhill to a quarterpipe platform &mdash; it's a setup as simple as this that leads to a variety of different gameplay options soon afterward. Perhaps you'll use Sonic's built up momentum to reach an unusually high platform, or perhaps this leap is a red herring and a secret is hiding just below in&nbsp;the next section of level. Perhaps both! In fact, it's very likely that both options are on the table &mdash; "Sonic Mania" is full of moments like this where you can choose one of several options.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is a classic Sonic trope, of course &mdash; branching paths through each level &mdash; but "Sonic Mania" makes those paths clearer than ever. When you pair that replayability with the game's snappy controls, "Sonic Mania" embodies everything the series has attempted to achieve.&nbsp;</p> </p>
<br/><br/><h3>"Sonic Mania" looks and sounds and plays like one of the first three "Sonic the Hedgehog" games. In many ways, it's a mash-up of those three games for modern audiences.</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5994528ef1a85079738b488d-400-300/sonic-mania-looks-and-sounds-and-plays-like-one-of-the-first-three-sonic-the-hedgehog-games-in-many-ways-its-a-mash-up-of-those-three-games-for-modern-audiences.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>"Sonic Mania" starts out as a direct homage. You're playing through Green Hill Zone &mdash; the first area in the first "Sonic the Hedgehog" game. The original music is re-created and everything. Things quickly begin to evolve, and one of the first things you'll notice is the incorporation of elements from later Sonic games.</p>
<p>As seen above, one of the game's three playable characters is Knuckles (who first appeared in "Sonic the Hedgehog 3") &mdash; you can also play as Tails, the two-tailed fox buddy of Sonic. Both of these guys didn't appear until sequels of the first game arrived.</p>
<p>Moreover, gameplay elements from subsequent Sonic games are scattered throughout "Sonic Mania." You'll encounter computer monitors with elemental power-ups &mdash; Sonic of course jumps on and breaks those monitors, thus releasing the magical powers therein. Using these powers in-game adds a sense of invincibility to Sonic's wanton high-speed running, making an already fast-moving game feel all the more speedy.&nbsp;</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sonic-mania-review-2017-8#/#while-sonic-mania-plays-plenty-of-homage-to-the-first-few-games-in-the-series-there-are-plenty-of-smart-references-to-other-games-in-the-series-scattered-throughout-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/streaming-services-comparison-hulu-youtube-tv-sling-directv-now-playstation-vue-fubo-2017-8There are 6 major services that let you stream live TV over the internet — here's how they comparehttp://www.businessinsider.com/streaming-services-comparison-hulu-youtube-tv-sling-directv-now-playstation-vue-fubo-2017-8
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 12:50:00 -0400Jeff Dunn
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/590d22c952b5d852008b4e2d-2048/hulu live tv 2.png" alt="hulu live tv 2" data-mce-source="Jeff Dunn/Business Insider" /></p><p>Everyone in the tech industry wants your eyeballs.</p>
<p>More specifically, an increasing number of tech companies are trying to attract the millions of "cord-cutters" who have ditched cable for services that stream live TV channels over the internet.</p>
<p>Hulu's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hulu-live-tv-package-details-pricing-channels-features-2017-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">flashy new live-TV service</a> is the latest to join the fray, while&nbsp;YouTube recently&nbsp;launched <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-tv-review-2017-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">its YouTube TV platform</a>. Sony, Dish Network, and AT&amp;T, meanwhile, have been fighting it out for months now.</p>
<p>But since this is the TV industry in America, figuring out what's what is complicated. So to help you see which, if any, make sense for you, we've broken down the biggest live-TV streaming services you can choose from today: <a href="https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PlayStation Vue</a>, <a href="https://www.sling.com/takebacktv?cvosrc=DRTV.DB.DO_LW_DR_ACQ_001000000T_SEP2016_DTCRO30&amp;utm_medium=DRTV&amp;utm_source=offline&amp;utm_campaign=DO_LW_DR_ACQ_001000000T_SEP2016_DTCRO30" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sling TV</a>, <a href="https://www.directvnow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DirecTV Now</a>, <a href="http://bit.ly/1gceNDs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube TV</a>, and <a href="https://www.hulu.com/live-tv" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hulu with Live TV</a>, as well as a smaller offering called <a href="http://bit.ly/2fq866i" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fubo TV</a> that's expanded in recent months.</p>
<p>Let's dig into the fine print:</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/unlimited-plans-comparison-verizon-att-sprint-tmobile-2017-2" >Here's how the 'unlimited' plans from Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile compare</a></strong></p>
<h3>Sling TV</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5989be7c4fc3c01c018b67c9-400-300/sling-tv.jpg" alt="" />
<p><h2>1. How much does it cost?</h2>
<p>It's $20 a month for the base Sling Orange package or $25 a month for a Sling Blue package with more channels.</p>
<p>For $40 a month, you can buy the Orange and Blue packages together, but the two do not totally overlap in terms of channel selection. (Hold that thought.)</p>
<p>From there, you can tack on a bunch of smaller specialized bundles of channels for between $5 and $15 a month per bundle. There are way too many to list here, so you should have a look at <a href="https://www.sling.com/service" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sling's service page</a>.</p>
<h2>2. How many channels does it have?</h2>
<p>Sling Orange has about 30 channels. Sling Blue has about 45 channels depending on where you live, but its lineup doesn't include everything in Sling Orange.</p>
<p>The add-on bundles can incorporate a few dozen more channels, but those vary wildly in terms of popularity. The likes of MTV, Starz, and Showtime are very popular; other networks, like the Outdoor Channel, are more niche.</p>
<h2>3. Which major channels are <em>not</em> included?</h2>
<p>CBS is absent. ABC <em>is</em> there, but only for some markets, and only with a Sling Orange subscription. It also costs an extra $5 a month. For the kids, the main Nickelodeon channel isn't available either.</p>
<p>Also, while Sling does carry Fox and NBC channels, they're included only in the Sling Blue package. And there's a good chance those local channels won't even be available if you don't live in one of a few major markets. Check your coverage before you buy.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Sling TV (continued)</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/598c7df14fc3c04f498b6e4d-400-300/sling-tv-continued.jpg" alt="" />
<p><h2>4. Does it include ESPN?</h2>
<p>Yes, but like every other Disney-owned channel, it's only in Sling Orange. There, you get ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPN 3 by default. This is the main thing that keeps the Orange and Blue packages from overlapping.</p>
<h2>5. What about local sports and non-ESPN sports networks?</h2>
<p>This is a little convoluted.</p>
<p>Sling Blue doesn't have ESPN, but it does include Fox and Comcast/NBC regional sports channels. Again, those vary by region &mdash; you can use the tool on <a href="http://help.sling.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/How-do-the-FOX-Regional-Sports-Networks-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dish's FAQ page</a> to check what's covered in your area.</p>
<p>As for other national sports channels, only Sling Blue includes Fox Sports 1, NFL Network, and NBC Sports Network. With Sling Blue, you can add a Sports Extra package that includes the NFL's RedZone channel, NBA TV, NHL Network, and others for $10 a month.</p>
<p>If you have Sling Orange, though, that Sports Extra package costs $5 a month, <em>doesn't</em> include NFL RedZone, and throws in a few more deep-in-the-weeds sports channels. Again, that's in addition to the main ESPN networks, which Sling Blue does not have.</p>
<p>You can probably see why these services aren't quite revolutionary now.</p>
<h2>6. What about HBO?</h2>
<p>HBO is available as an add-on to one of the core bundles. It costs $15 a month, the same as the standalone HBO Now streaming service.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Sling TV (continued)</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/598c7e0a4fc3c02d008b7726-400-300/sling-tv-continued.jpg" alt="" />
<p><h2>7. Which devices does it support?</h2>
<p>You can check <a href="https://www.sling.com/devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sling's support page</a> for the full list, but the only big no-show is Sony's PlayStation 4.</p>
<p>Otherwise, Roku, Apple TV (fourth gen), Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, iOS, Android, Android TV, Windows, macOS, Xbox One, Google Chrome, and others are all supported.</p>
<h2>8. Does it have DVR so I can record shows I missed?</h2>
<p>Yes, but it doesn't come included with a basic subscription. Instead, you have to pay an extra $5 a month for up to 50 hours of DVR storage.</p>
<p>Beyond that, a decent chunk of channels &mdash; namely Disney's and ESPN's networks &mdash; cannot be recorded for the time being. (<a href="http://help.sling.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/What-features-are-included-in-the-Cloud-DVR-Beta-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Here's a full list</a>.) And while Fox networks <em>can</em> be recorded, you'll automatically be reverted to the on-demand version of those shows if they're available. That means you'll have to watch ads.</p>
<p>Sling has done well to roll out DVR support to more devices over the past few months, but Apple's macOS is still out of luck. There's no limit on how long you can keep a recording, though, and Sling <a href="https://whatson.sling.com/announcements/cloud-dvr-channels-devices-features/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">now lets you</a> "protect" specific recordings in case you run out of space.</p>
<h2>9. Can I pause and rewind live TV?</h2>
<p>Technically, yes. But several channels &mdash; including ESPN, CNN, TBS, Cartoon Network, and AMC &mdash; do not support the feature and can only be watched live.</p>
<p>These channels typically lack support for Sling's replay feature, in which certain recently aired programs are available to stream for a limited time after they first air.</p>
<h2>10. How many people can use it at once?</h2>
<p>With Sling Orange, you can only have one active stream going at a time. With Sling Blue, that's bumped up to three concurrent streams. With the $40-a-month Orange-plus-Blue combo package, it becomes four.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/streaming-services-comparison-hulu-youtube-tv-sling-directv-now-playstation-vue-fubo-2017-8#/#sling-tv-continued-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/horizon-zero-dawn-the-frozen-wilds-expansion-november-photos-video-2017-8The best game of 2017 is getting a huge expansion this November — here's everything we knowhttp://www.businessinsider.com/horizon-zero-dawn-the-frozen-wilds-expansion-november-photos-video-2017-8
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 11:14:09 -0400Ben Gilbert
<p>When "Horizon Zero Dawn" arrived on PlayStation 4 back in February, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/horizon-zero-dawn-review-2017-2">critics and players alike were dazzled</a>. The gorgeous, massive third-person action game received near-universal critical acclaim, and Sony reaped the benefits of a blockbuster hit: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-playstation-4-shawn-layden-jim-ryan-pro-vr-2017-6">huge sales numbers</a>.</p>
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/598c5f4076084a25008b7967-1920/hzd.jpg" alt="Horizon Zero Dawn" data-mce-source="Guerrilla Games/Sony"></p>
<p>On November 7, the already gigantic "Horizon Zero Dawn" is getting a huge new expansion. It's called "The Frozen Wilds," it looks <em>super fresh</em>, and we already know a lot about it.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/grand-theft-auto-5-naturalvision-mod-screenshots-2017-8" >This is the best any 'Grand Theft Auto' game has ever looked</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/horizon-zero-dawn-review-2017-2" >'Horizon Zero Dawn' is an incredible, must-play game that's reason enough to buy a PlayStation 4</a></strong></p>
<h3>In "The Frozen Wilds," which arrives on November 7, the game's main character Aloy will explore an entirely new region, with a new culture and new robot animals.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/598b46e54fc3c0be3f8b69fe-400-300/in-the-frozen-wilds-which-arrives-on-november-7-the-games-main-character-aloy-will-explore-an-entirely-new-region-with-a-new-culture-and-new-robot-animals.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>The "Frozen Wilds" is a reference to where you're going, of course &mdash; the "Banuk" territory, north of the mountain range that would otherwise have stopped you in the original game.</p>
<p>As a result, the expansion is essentially a condensed version of the original game: There's an entirely new map, with new weapons and animals and a new culture to explore (the Banuk peoples). Here's the managing director of Guerrilla Games, Hermen Hulst, giving an overview of the expansion <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFioSx6783w">from an interview back in June</a>:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"We start with a new territory. We go across the northern mountain range into the territory of the Banuk, the tribespeople of the Banuk. They are very hearty. They live in these wild lands. It's so&nbsp;cold, and it's very hard to survive there. It's very beefy, it's a good-sized map. There will be plenty of new stuff in there."</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>The expansion is a direct continuation of the main story. "Let's call it a new chapter in Aloy's journey."</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/598b46e476084a26008b74b1-400-300/the-expansion-is-a-direct-continuation-of-the-main-story-lets-call-it-a-new-chapter-in-aloys-journey.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>One of the best things about "Horizon Zero Dawn" is its surprisingly deep, interesting narrative. Many games try, and most&nbsp;games fail, to marry strong gameplay and strong storytelling &mdash; "Horizon Zero Dawn" is a rare standout in this regard.</p>
<p>The game's development studio is advancing that narrative in "The Frozen Wilds." Rather than telling a side-story, or exploring an alternate "what if?" scenario, the new expansion will continue Aloy's journey of self-discovery.&nbsp;</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Snow and ice are sure to play a crucial role in "The Frozen Wilds." What role that will be remains to be seen. Perhaps snow can be used as cover for sneaking around?</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/598b46f276084a25008b742a-400-300/snow-and-ice-are-sure-to-play-a-crucial-role-in-the-frozen-wilds-what-role-that-will-be-remains-to-be-seen-perhaps-snow-can-be-used-as-cover-for-sneaking-around.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>"Horizon Zero Dawn" is set in a future Earth, in a deserted Colorado that's been retaken by nature.&nbsp;Colorado, as you know, can be cold and snowy. It's neighbor to the north, Wyoming, can be even colder and snowier &mdash; and Wyoming appears to be the setting for "The Frozen Wilds."</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/horizon-zero-dawn-the-frozen-wilds-expansion-november-photos-video-2017-8#/#we-have-a-good-idea-that-the-expansion-is-set-in-wyoming-specifically-because-of-this-image-people-are-saying-this-is-the-grand-prismatic-spring-of-yellowstone-national-park-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/the-dark-tower-box-office-2017-8'The Dark Tower' wins the weekend box office despite horrible reviewshttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-dark-tower-box-office-2017-8
Sun, 06 Aug 2017 11:01:00 -0400Jason Guerrasio
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/581b2e79362ca49e018b6a93-1067/the-dark-tower-sony-final.jpg" alt="the dark tower sony final" data-mce-source="Sony" /></p><p>The summer movie season is crawling to the finish line.</p>
<p>Sony's long-developed adaptation of Stephen King's epic "The Dark Tower" finally hit theaters this weekend and won the domestic box office, though it was a very soft estimated $19.5 million on over 3,400 screens, according to <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/news/box-office-dark-tower-detroit-kidnap-2-1202516874/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Variety</a>.</p>
<p>Though Sony will spin that the movie defied its lousy <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dark_tower_2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">18% Rotten Tomatoes</a> score to win the weekend, the second consecutive week when one of its movies has been one of the top domestic earners despite a rotten score &mdash; last week "The Emoji Movie" landed in second place at the box office despite having a <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_emoji_movie" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">7% rating</a> &mdash; the bottom line is there hasn't been much to interest audiences at the multiplex these past couple of weeks.</p>
<p>Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" came in second place with $17.6 million, after topping the box office the last two weekends.</p>
<p>The $60 million-budgeted "Dark Tower" was a decade in the making. Previous directors like J.J. Abrams and Ron Howard (he's a producer on the movie) attempted over the years to adapt King's eight books into some kind of workable feature.</p>
<p>Though director Nikolaj Arcel (2009's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo") finally figured it out, the end result was uninspired. However, with no other competition as most audiences have seen current releases "Spider-Man: Homecoming," "Dunkirk," and "Despicable Me 3," it turns out the greatest strength "The Dark Tower"had was being placed at the perfect weekend.</p>
<p>This first weekend of August certainly is different from previous years that put an exclamation point on the season with titles that set record-breaking openings like 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy (<a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=marvel2014a.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$94.3 million</a>) or last summer's "Suicide Squad" (<a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dc2016.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$133.6 million</a>).</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-dark-tower-movie-review-2017-8" >"The Dark Tower" movie has no heart, and will really upset fans of the Stephen King books</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-dark-tower-box-office-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/marvel-second-trailer-for-thor-ragnarok-2017-7">Marvel dropped another trailer for 'Thor: Ragnarok' — and it looks incredible</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/the-dark-tower-movie-review-2017-8'The Dark Tower' movie has no heart, and will really upset fans of the Stephen King bookshttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-dark-tower-movie-review-2017-8
Thu, 03 Aug 2017 08:56:10 -0400Jason Guerrasio
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/598292fc76084a26008b4a01-960/the%20dark%20tower%20sony.jpg" alt="The Dark Tower Sony" data-mce-source="Sony"></p><p>There's a creed The Gunslinger lives by in "The Dark Tower," and it ends with: "You do not kill with your gun. He who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father. You kill with your heart."</p>
<p>Director Nikolaj Arcel and everyone at Sony should have thought about that meaning more when adapting Stephen King's eight-book series, because unlike The Gunslinger, they had no heart in their attempt to bring this classic to life.</p>
<p>Done in a brisk 90 minute running time, the movie feels like a bunch of scenes cobbled together. With a disregard to character development, or even simply giving the audience a moment to breath in the world, the feeling of watching "The Dark Tower" is like racing through a meal because you are late to an appointment.</p>
<p>At one point, I was imaging what it must have been like to edit this movie. Likely it was days filled with Sony Pictures head Tom Rothman standing over the editor screaming, "IS IT DONE YET? IS IT DONE YET?? IS IT DONE YET!?!?!?"</p>
<p>The movie opens with teenager Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) having a nightmare that kids are being forced to be weapons for an evil Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey) in his quest to destroy the Dark Tower, a giant black structure that goes high up in the sky. Seriously, that's all I know about it. The movie gives very little indication of its importance outside of it being very powerful. Gradually, we learn that Jake continues to have visions of The Man In Black and Roland Deschain/The Gunslinger (Idris Elba), while noticing that people around him seem to be strange creatures disguised as humans. Eventually, Jake's visions lead him to a portal to another dimension, and there he meets The Gunslinger. The two then go out to find the Dark Tower and also face The Man in Black.</p>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/598294314fc3c01d008b4a0b-788/the%20dark%20tower%20sony.png" alt="the dark tower sony" data-mce-source="Sony">I never read the King books, but it's more than obvious Arcel and the slew of screenwriters who have taken on this project over the years — there are four credited, including Arcel — completely slaughtered King's material.</p>
<p>Numerous supporting characters are given zero time for audiences to understand who they are and their importance in the story.</p>
<p>And even more bizarre is the major power Jack has in the movie is actually a reference to another King book.</p>
<p>About halfway through the movie, Jack discovers that he shines, which means he has psychic abilities. It's a power Danny Torrance possesses in King's novel, "The Shining." Though it's kind of cool that the movie makes a reference to another King classic, it's also very weird. In King's "The Dark Tower" books, Jack possess a similar power called "The Touch." Wouldn't it have made more sense to go with that? Fans of books like the movies they are based on to reference what's actually in them.</p>
<p>It's hard to fault Elba or McConaughey for their performances. Whatever they were sold on to accomplish in this movie likely never panned out. Honestly, outside of some fish-out-of water comedy done by Elba when The Gunslinger transports to Earth briefly, there's nothing memorable about any performance.</p>
<p>It's more than obvious Sony wasn't looking to really make a movie for the fans of the books — which is just plain bizarre. They are the ones who can't wait to see this!</p>
<p>"The Dark Tower" turns out to be just the latest in a long line of movies based on King's books that are nothing like his work. The added problem with this one, however, is it's nowhere near close to being as good a standalone movie as most of those others.</p>
<p><em>"The Dark Tower" opens in theaters on Friday.</em></p>
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</div><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/icarus-netflix-bryan-fogel-doping-scandal-2017-8" >How a guy who injected PEDs to see the effects scored a Netflix deal and uncovered the biggest doping scandal in Olympics history</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-dark-tower-movie-review-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/7-details-from-season-7-episode-2-of-game-of-thrones-easter-eggs-hbo-sam-jon-snow-daenerys-arya-nymeria-2017-7">7 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 2 of 'Game of Thrones'</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-ibm-330tb-cartridge-fit-inside-your-hand-2017-8Sony and IBM made a 330 terabyte cartridge that can fit in your hand (IBM, SNE)http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-ibm-330tb-cartridge-fit-inside-your-hand-2017-8
Thu, 03 Aug 2017 05:09:59 -0400Abhimanyu Ghoshal
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5982e89327fa6b129b2e67db-1440/ibm%20sony%20330tb%20cartridge.png" alt="IBM Sony 330TB Cartridge" data-mce-source="IBM Research/YouTube" data-mce-caption="Dr. Mark Lantz, exploratory tape scientist at IBM."></p><p>While you weren't looking, the storage industry has been working on some pretty crazy stuff. <a href="https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201708/17-070E/index.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Sony announced</a> that it teamed up with IBM Research in Zurich to create a new magnetic tape that can fit 330TB of files in a single palm-sized cartridge that typically could hold only about 15TB.</p>
<p>For reference, that's enough to store <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Size_of_Wikipedia" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">3,379 compressed copies of all of Wikipedia</a> on a single cartridge. You've probably guessed that this isn't designed for home users; it'll be deployed in servers and data centers when it becomes available.</p>
<p>The new tape features a recording density of 201 Gb per square inch – that's about 20 times greater than the current crop. To achieve this, the team figured out a new way to reduce the gap between the magnetic tape and magnetic head, and also developed a lubricant to help things move smoothly and improve read/write speeds.</p>
<p>The data is stored in a sputtered manner across multiple layers of nano particles to extend tape length. IBM Research notes that this breakthrough means that it'll be possible to double tape storage capacity every two years for a decade to come. With our storage needs always on the rise, we could certainly use more innovations like this.</p>
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</div><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-ibm-330tb-cartridge-fit-inside-your-hand-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-may-have-missed-season-7-episode-5-game-of-thrones-hbo-jon-snow-targaryen-dragons-easter-eggs-2017-8">6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 5 of 'Game of Thrones'</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-why-gaming-on-pc-still-better-than-game-consoles-2017-712 reasons why gaming on a PC is better than game consoleshttp://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-why-gaming-on-pc-still-better-than-game-consoles-2017-7
Wed, 02 Aug 2017 11:55:02 -0400Antonio Villas-Boas
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5981e36c4528e628198b632d-1196/screen%20shot%202017-08-02%20at%20103523%20am.png" alt="gaming PC setup" data-mce-source="YouTube/TechSource"></p><p>Ah, the old gaming PC versus video game console debate.</p>
<p>Each have their merits, and each have their own league of fans who vehemently swear by one or the other.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, it's all about personal preference.</p>
<p>Sure, it's true that gaming consoles are easier for casual gaming on the couch, but there are 12 good reasons why gaming on a PC can be better.</p>
<p>Check it out:</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/refurbished-apple-macbook-pro-2016-15-inch-i7-26ghz-review-photos-2017-7" >Reviewed: A used, year-old MacBook Pro from Apple's Refurbished Mac store that saved me $450</a></strong></p>
<h3>You can play games with better graphics than consoles — if you have a powerful gaming PC.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5661fa18dd0895dd5e8b46a7-400-300/you-can-play-games-with-better-graphics-than-consoles--if-you-have-a-powerful-gaming-pc.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>This is one of the main arguments in favor of PC gaming, as the hardware inside a gaming PC can far outperform the parts in a console like the Xbox One or PlayStation 4. As a result, games on PC can play with graphics settings set to higher levels, as well as play at higher, smoother frame rates, than that on a console.</p>
<p>With that said, gaming PCs that outperform consoles can come at a high price.&nbsp;A great gaming PC for 1080p resolution screens<span>&nbsp;</span><span>&mdash; the same resolution that the PlayStation 4, original Xbox One, and Xbox One S&nbsp;&mdash;</span>&nbsp;can cost anywhere north of $500. Compared to the $250 price tag of those aforementioned consoles, a gaming PC suddenly doesn't seem so tempting.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But,&nbsp;again, better graphics and smoother gameplay are available, if you're willing to pay. And, at the same time, you save money in the long run when you play on PC, as you'll see next.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>The Steam game platform.</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/587f8e00ee14b621008b8a80-400-300/the-steam-game-platform.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>Steam is a platform where, among other things, you can browse, buy, and launch your games, and it's better than the stores on Xbox One and PlayStation.</p>
<p>For one, game sales are superior on Steam. During a sale, you can get older games for a significant discount compared to console stores. For example, I bought "GTA V" for $30 during a sale compared to the $60 it costs from the Xbox store.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Microsoft and Sony have made great strides with sales and discounts, but the deals will rarely be as good as you'd find on Steam.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>You don't have to pay to play multiplayer games on PC, and you save money in the long run.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5981dd214528e666038b5782-400-300/you-dont-have-to-pay-to-play-multiplayer-games-on-pc-and-you-save-money-in-the-long-run.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>To play multiplayer games on console, you have to sign up for the paid Xbox Live and PlayStation Network services, depending on which console you own. PC gamers don't need to pay to play games online.</p>
<p>For a year of service, an Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus membership costs $60. That may seem like a trivial annual expense, but it builds up over the years. After paying $60 for five years or membership to either service, you would have paid $300. That's money you could spend on a PC graphics card upgrade.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-why-gaming-on-pc-still-better-than-game-consoles-2017-7#/#there-are-more-games-for-pc-than-there-are-for-game-consoles-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/movie-studios-bad-rotten-tomatoes-scores-2017-8'The Emoji Movie' used a sneaky tactic to make money despite its horrible Rotten Tomatoes scorehttp://www.businessinsider.com/movie-studios-bad-rotten-tomatoes-scores-2017-8
Wed, 02 Aug 2017 11:33:18 -0400Jason Guerrasio
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5981e4804528e667038b580b-671/emojimoviesony5.jpg" alt="emojimoviesony5" data-mce-source="Sony" /></p><p>Hollywood might have cracked the code on how to make money for its movies that get a bad Rotten Tomatoes score.</p>
<p>Despite "The Emoji Movie" having a 0% rating on the review aggregator site going into its opening weekend last week (it currently has a <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_emoji_movie" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">6% rating</a>), the movie battled for the top spot at the domestic box office, eventually coming in second to "Dunkirk." It still pulled in an astounding <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=theemojimovie.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$24.5 million</a> for the weekend.</p>
<p>Sony believes it was the strategy of not allowing critics to run their reviews until Thursday last week (the day the preview showings began) that worked. The movie ended up winning the Friday box office with <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/chart/?sortdate=2017-07-28&amp;track=theemojimovie.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$10 million</a>.</p>
<p>"What other wide release with a score under 8 percent has opened north of $20 million? I don't think there is one," Josh Greenstein, Sony Pictures president of worldwide marketing and distribution, told <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/studios-fight-back-withering-rotten-tomatoes-scores-1025575" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.</p>
<p>In recent years, the Rotten Tomatoes score for a movie has become a huge marketing tactic for studios. If a movie is in the high 90% ("Wonder Woman," "Baby Driver") or hit that 100% mark ("Get Out"), the studio puts it on everything from TV spots to web banners.</p>
<p>And a big reason for that is practically everyone visits Rotten Tomatoes before deciding to see a movie, and the studios know it. According to THR, Nielsen Research Group found seven out of 10 people said they would be less interested in seeing a movie if the Rotten Tomatoes score was zero to 25. And social media research firm Fizziology, which tracks every major Hollywood release, discovered a Rotten Tomatoes score has the most influence on moviegoers 25 and younger.</p>
<p>So if a movie gets a rotten on the "Tomatometer," the studio has to scramble to figure out how to spin it.</p>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/59376cabb1bd5621008b4827-971/the mummy 2 universal final.jpg" alt="The Mummy 2 Universal final.JPG" data-mce-source="Universal" />When the Tom Cruise action movie "The Mummy" came out, director Alex Kurtzman tried to fend off its rotten review (<a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_mummy_2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">16%</a>) by saying he's doesn't "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-mummy-director-critics-reaction-2017-6">make movies for them,</a>" meaning critics. But that didn't help, as the movie only had a <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mummy2016.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$31.6 million</a> opening weekend (though it has grossed over $300 million internationally).</p>
<p>In March, Brett Ratner <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/brett-ratner-rotten-tomatoes-destruction-of-movie-business-2017-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lashed out</a> at Rotten Tomatoes as being the "worst thing that we have in today's movie culture" while speaking at the Sun Valley Film Festival. He was a producer on "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," which he believes had lower than expected box office due to its bad Rotten Tomatoes score. But the truth is the site is more powerful than ever, and instead of complaining about it Hollywood has to adapt.</p>
<p>Holding back critics from seeing a movie until right before it opens is nothing new &mdash; in fact, Sony is doing it again for this weekend's anticipated adaptation of the Stephen King book series, "The Dark Tower," which has received bad press for production problems. And in some cases, studios don't screen movies at all, a tactic Warner Bros. used with the Will Ferrell/Amy Poehler comedy, "The House" (it had an <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thehouse.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">$8.7 million</a> opening).</p>
<p>What's changed is the power of the Rotten Tomatoes score. The less time people have to see a movie's score on the site, the greater chance studios have to squeeze a little more box office coin out of a title they know is rotten.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/henry-cavills-mustache-for-superman-in-justice-league-how-hard-it-is-to-remove-2017-7" >How much work it will take to digitally remove Henry Cavill's mustache for "Justice League," according to visual effects artists</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/movie-studios-bad-rotten-tomatoes-scores-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-7-people-arya-stark-kill-list-game-of-thrones-hbo-deaths-prayer-2017-8">Here's everyone left on Arya Stark's kill list on 'Game of Thrones'</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-games-of-2017-2017-7The 20 biggest games coming in the 2nd half of 2017http://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-games-of-2017-2017-7
Wed, 02 Aug 2017 10:30:38 -0400Ben Gilbert
<p>Do you hear it? The wave is coming. Soon, we'll be overwhelmed by dozens of blockbuster video games arriving all at once.</p>
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/594042bebf76bb27008b5b65-1440/screen shot 2017-06-13 at 125306 pm.png" alt="Super Mario Odyssey" data-mce-source="Nintendo" /></p>
<p>As usual, the back half of the year is awash with major game launches, from the highly anticipated "Destiny 2" in September to the also highly anticipated "Super Mario Odyssey" in October. Whether you're looking to pair up with friends online or tuck into a personal adventure, there's something great coming for you in the next few months.</p>
<p>Let's dive in!</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nintendo-64-classic-edition-console-trademark-2017-7" >It looks as if Nintendo's making a miniature, inexpensive version of the original Nintendo 64 console</a></strong></p>
<h3>"Tacoma"</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5682cffddd0895da4c8b46a9-400-300/tacoma.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><strong>What it is:</strong><span>&nbsp;"Tacoma" is the story of six crew members of a space station (named Tacoma), set in the near future of 2088. You're a forensic investigator, essentially, but in space, digging through notes and audio logs and other detritus of people's&nbsp;lives. If you played "Gone Home," you'll find "Tacoma" immediately familiar.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><strong>Release date:</strong><span>&nbsp;August</span>&nbsp;2</p>
<p><strong>Platforms:</strong><span>&nbsp;</span>Xbox One, Windows 10 PC, Mac, Linux</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>"Uncharted: The Lost Legacy"</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/58c17015402a6bca518b4937-400-300/uncharted-the-lost-legacy.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><strong>What it is:</strong> "Uncharted," the third-person action series featuring Nathan Drake as he traipsed around the world, as we know it is over. With "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End," the series was officially sunset &mdash; until "Uncharted: The Lost Legacy," that is. The new game extends the series by following Chloe Frazer as the main character. If you liked the high-octane, Indiana Jones-esque gameplay of previous "Uncharted" games, "The Lost Legacy" is more of that with a new set of characters in a new environment.</p>
<p><strong>Release date:</strong> August 22</p>
<p><strong>Platforms:</strong> PlayStation 4</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>"Madden NFL '18"</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5980a0abb50ab1f4018b5236-400-300/madden-nfl-18.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><strong>What it is:</strong><span>&nbsp;Do we need to spell out what "Madden" is? Probably not, right? A&nbsp;new "Madden" game comes out every August, and 2017 is no different. "Madden NFL 18" is a simulation&nbsp;in which&nbsp;you can live out your wildest NFL dreams. There's a new story mode, and this is the first time EA&nbsp;has made the game using its proprietary Frostbite game engine, but if you're getting "Madden," you probably don't need to hear about any of that &mdash; you just wanna play some football. We understand! This will be&nbsp;your chance to do just that.</span></p>
<p><strong>Release date:</strong><span>&nbsp;August</span>&nbsp;25</p>
<p><strong>Platforms:</strong><span>&nbsp;</span>Xbox One,&nbsp;PlayStation 4</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-games-of-2017-2017-7#/#mario-rabbids-kingdom-battle-august-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/ps4-playstation-4-sales-june-2017-8Sony's PlayStation 4 continues to dominate as the world's most popular game consolehttp://www.businessinsider.com/ps4-playstation-4-sales-june-2017-8
Tue, 01 Aug 2017 10:12:42 -0400Ben Gilbert
<p>Sony's PlayStation 4 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/playstation-4-ps4-xbox-one-sales-2017-6">continues to dominate</a> Microsoft's Xbox One and Nintendo's Switch. As of June 30, the PlayStation 4 reached 63.3 million consoles sold. That puts Sony in the lead by a mile.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/582dd329ba6eb69a018b4d7c-991/ps4provsps4.jpg" alt="PlayStation 4 vs PlayStation 4 Pro" data-mce-source="Sony" /></p>
<p>More specifically, Sony's PlayStation 4 sales are more than double that of the closest competition &mdash; the "closest competition," of course, being Microsoft's Xbox One. Though Microsoft no longer reports sales numbers for its Xbox One console, the best estimates put the Xbox One somewhere in the realm of 30 million units sold.</p>
<p>In just Sony's last financial quarter, from April 1 to June 30, the company sold 3.3 million PlayStation 4 consoles. Doesn't sound like a lot? Nintendo's Switch, by comparison, has sold a total of 4.7 million units in its lifespan &mdash; from March 1 to June 30. Nintendo estimates it'll sell around 10 million Switch consoles in its first year, while Sony's expecting to move a whopping <em>18 million</em> PlayStation 4 consoles in the same amount of time.</p>
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/593ff485c4adee7a278b4cad-1440/screen shot 2017-06-13 at 71700 am.png" alt="God of War (2018)" data-mce-source="Sony" /></p>
<p>The continued success of the PlayStation 4 is due to several different factors:</p>
<ol>
<li>The PlayStation 4 was the less expensive console when it launched in 2013, coming in at $100 less than Microsoft's Xbox One.</li>
<li>The PlayStation 4 is an attractive box that easily fits into your home, and using it as more than a game console is a snap.</li>
<li>A lineup of killer blockbuster games, from "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" to "Horizon Zero Dawn" to "Bloodborne," made the PlayStation 4 a must-have console. All three of those games are only playable on PS4.</li>
<li>Success begets success &mdash; the PlayStation 4 has overtaken the zeitgeist as "the" game console to own if you're going to buy a game console.</li>
</ol>
<p>Though Sony's exclusive game lineup isn't full of bangers in the back half of 2017, an impressive array of major exclusives are currently in the works. And if you're looking for a way to enjoy more 4K content on your new 4K TV, the PlayStation 4 Pro offers an upgrade path to even prettier games. All of which is to say one thing: Sony's PlayStation 4 isn't showing any signs of slowing down.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-announces-ps4-60-million-consoles-sold-2017-6" >The PlayStation 4 has moved over 60 million units, and is approaching 500 million games sold</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ps4-playstation-4-sales-june-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/playstation-4-hidden-features-video-2016-12">5 hidden features only PlayStation 4 power users know about</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/the-emoji-movie-reviews-2017-7'The Emoji Movie' has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — and critics say it 'can't escape its own idiocy'http://www.businessinsider.com/the-emoji-movie-reviews-2017-7
Fri, 28 Jul 2017 11:43:45 -0400Jason Guerrasio
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/597b4b8c4528e629018b537b-960/the emoji movie sony.jpg" alt="the emoji movie sony" data-mce-source="Sony" /></p><p>You knew it was going to happen sooner or later &mdash; an aspect of our everyday habits made into a movie. And Sony was the studio that dove in and did it.</p>
<p>"The Emoji Movie" opens this weekend, and critics aren't too happy about it.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/review-emoji-movie-big-steaming-pile-article-1.3361271" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">As one put it</a>: "This failed attempt to create a story from a texting trend makes the worst comic book adaptation look like Shakespeare."</p>
<p>The animated movie starring T.J. Miller as Gene, the "meh" emoji, who goes on an adventure in a teen's phone, received the dreaded <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_emoji_movie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">0% rating</a> on Rotten Tomatoes.</p>
<p>Here's why the movie is one of the worst-reviewed of the year (which will either make you run as fast as you can from the multiplex or motivate you even more to see it):</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-best-action-movies-stream-2017-7" >The 17 best action movies you can stream on Netflix right now</a></strong></p>
<h3>It's a rip-off of Pixar's "Inside Out."</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/597b4d51b50ab11c008b5500-400-300/its-a-rip-off-of-pixars-inside-out.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>The movie's premise of a pair of rogue emojis setting out to find meaning and purpose isn't all that original. It has similar beats as the better-executed Pixar movie "Inside Out," which followed the journey of a girl's emotions.</p>
<p><a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/the-emoji-movie-review-1202506835/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Variety</a> called it a "witless 'Inside Out.'"</p>
<p>While on the subject of the movie's <em>deeper meaning</em>, <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2017/07/the-emoji-movie-will-send-you-into-a-spiral-emoji-of-despair.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vulture</a> wrote: "There is a mumbled, shorthand moral about staying true to yourself in all this, but it is drowned out by the wall-to-wall cynicism that is 'The Emoji Movie's' entire reason for existing in the first place."</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>The movie has no shame in also being a Sony commercial.</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/597b4f9cb50ab17c178b51bd-400-300/the-movie-has-no-shame-in-also-being-a-sony-commercial.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>Licensing is always an issue in movies about technology, and though you'll see familiar things from your phone in "The Emoji Movie" &mdash; like Candy Crush, Spotify, and Facebook &mdash; there's also some shameful highlights of Sony products. (Seriously, who has a Crackle app on their phone?)</p>
<p>"Vertically integrated product placement is to be expected, though the movie&rsquo;s most egregious plausibility-breaking move is that it takes place on a Sony smartphone," <a href="http://www.avclub.com/review/emoji-movie-inside-out-crossed-sony-commercial-and-258649">The AV Club wrote</a>. "These emojis are halfway between Droid-designed purgatory and their vastly more popular Apple variants."</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Even Patrick Stewart as the poop emoji can't save the movie.</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/597b51d64528e621008b5437-400-300/even-patrick-stewart-as-the-poop-emoji-cant-save-the-movie.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>That's right. Sir Patrick Stewart voices the poop emoji. That seems funny on the surface, but all it did was remind reviewers that the emoji exists, and they made sure to include it in their tweets about how much they hated the movie.</p>
<p>The other known names voicing emojis &mdash; T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, and Maya Rudolph &mdash; also didn't satisfy much.</p>
<p><a href="http://screencrush.com/the-emoji-movie-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ScreenCrush</a> wrote: "Miller might be down to <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tj-miller-says-leaving-silicon-valley-was-like-a-breakup-1016573" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">get paid globally</a> for the role of Gene, but he doesn't bring a ton of personality to the role, which is kind of a problem since Gene's whole character is based on the fact that he's supposed to have a ton of personality. Corden gives a high-energy performance as Hi-5, but his material is thumbs-down emoji. His main running gag is a brutally literal one; his character keeps puking up a candy corn and eating it over and over."</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-emoji-movie-reviews-2017-7#/#its-just-plain-idiotic-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-playstation-plus-subscription-playstation-4-games-2017-7Anyone getting a PlayStation 4 needs to know one crucial thinghttp://www.businessinsider.com/sony-playstation-plus-subscription-playstation-4-games-2017-7
Sun, 23 Jul 2017 11:43:03 -0400Ben Gilbert
<p>You finally got a PlayStation 4. You're ready to dive into all the action.</p>
<p>But where should you start?</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5682cffddd0895da4c8b46a3-1920/hzd.jpeg" alt="Horizon Zero Dawn" data-mce-source="Guerrilla Games / Sony" /></p>
<p>OK, yes, definitely play "Horizon Zero Dawn." But also, at some point on that first day, there's one other crucial thing you should do: <strong>Pay for an annual subscription to PlayStation Plus</strong>.</p>
<h2>What's PlayStation Plus?</h2>
<p>PlayStation Plus, a paid loyalty program, is a crucial addition to your PlayStation 4. Why?</p>
<ul>
<li>It enables you to play games online with other people!</li>
<li>It gives you monthly discounts on games and movies!</li>
<li>But, most important, it gives you <strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">free games every month</strong>. Free! For the duration of your subscription!</li>
</ul>
<p>What types of games? Really great games! Like "Rocket League":</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/55a53c662acae72c008b6b56-800-450/rocketleague_1.gif" alt="" data-mce-source="Psyonix" /></p>
<p>And "Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes":</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/56549ea0dd0895132d8b45e7-1920-1080/groundzeroes_.jpg" alt="Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes" data-mce-source="Konami" /></p>
<p>And "Spelunky":</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/56549ea0dd0895132d8b45e8-1271-686/spelunky.jpg" alt="Spelunky" data-mce-source="Mossmouth" /></p>
<p>For an annual fee ($60 a year, or $10 a month if you prefer a shorter commitment), you get what Sony calls an "Instant Game Collection."</p>
<p>This month, that means two pretty-great games on the PlayStation 4:</p>
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5974bc40c50c29a8008b5f18-1440/screen shot 2017-07-23 at 110919 am.png" alt="PlayStation Plus (July 2017, PS4)" data-mce-source="Sony" /></p>
<p>If you want an idea for how many games this means over time, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Instant_Game_Collection_games_(North_America)">check out the running list on Wikipedia</a> &mdash; it's an impressive library.</p>
<p>And that game library grows <em>every month</em>. As long as you continue paying for PlayStation Plus, you retain access to <em>every game</em> you've ever added to your library. You don't even have to download the game; you simply select "Add to Library" so you have access to the game whenever you <em>do</em> want to download and play it. Pretty incredible!</p>
<p>So let's do some quick math:</p>
<ul>
<li>"Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series" normally costs $19.99 for the Season Pass.</li>
<li>"Until Dawn" normally costs $19.99.</li>
</ul>
<p>The value you get from <em>just this month</em> is more than half the cost of an entire year of PlayStation Plus.</p>
<p><strong>If you download and play three to four games through PlayStation Plus, the service pays for itself.</strong> Anything beyond that is pure bonus value.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5974c162552be51c008b5f2a-717/screen shot 2017-07-23 at 113000 am.png" alt="PlayStation Plus" data-mce-source="Sony" /></p>
<p>One more thing: If you own a PlayStation Vita or a PlayStation 3, you'll also get free games on those platforms. Some of the games are even "cross-buy," meaning you'll get access to them across multiple PlayStation devices ("Spelunky" is this way &mdash; once you own it on one PlayStation console, you own it all PlayStation consoles).</p>
<p>So remember: Before dropping hundreds of dollars on $60 games with your new PlayStation 4, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/1-Year-PlayStation-Plus-Membership-Digital/dp/B004RMK5QG/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1500823947&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=playstation+plus">snag a $60 annual subscription to PlayStation Plus</a>. It's a smart investment.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/now-is-the-perfect-time-to-buy-a-playstation-4-heres-why-2016-11" >15 reasons why it's the perfect time to buy a PlayStation 4</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>DON'T MISS:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/every-ps4-game-i-own-ranked-2017-7" >Every PlayStation 4 game I own — RANKED</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-playstation-plus-subscription-playstation-4-games-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/playstation-4-hidden-features-video-2016-12">5 hidden features only PlayStation 4 power users know about</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/keshas-song-woman-is-all-about-female-empowerment-2017-7Kesha explained how her new expletive-filled song 'Woman' is all about female empowermenthttp://www.businessinsider.com/keshas-song-woman-is-all-about-female-empowerment-2017-7
Thu, 13 Jul 2017 16:19:53 -0400Amanda Luz Henning Santiago
<p>Kesha released her newest song "Woman" on Thursday, the expletive-filled second single off of her new album "Rainbow," slated to release August 11.</p>
<p>Kesha had not released any new music for the past four years prior to the release of her single "Praying" on July 6, due to an ongoing court battle with Sony and her former producer, Dr. Luke. Kesha had been trying to get out of her contract with Sony and Dr. Luke, whom she <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2016/02/kesha_and_dr_luke_court_battle_explained.html" title="The Kesha–Dr. Luke Court Battle: A Comprehensive Guide">alleges</a><span> drugged her, in addition to sexually and verbally assaulting her, during her time recording with him at Sony. Sony removed Dr. Luke from the company back in April, and since then Kesha has picked right back up where she left off.</span></p>
<p>In a personal essay penned by Kesha <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/read-keshas-poignant-essay-about-celebratory-new-song-woman-w491950" title=" Read Kesha's Poignant Essay About Celebratory New Song 'Woman' News Video Music Politics TV Movies Video Games RS Country RS Hip-Hop More TRENDING Watch John Oliver, Colbert Talk 'Turbo-F--ked'... Read Kesha's Poignant Essay About Celebratory New Song... Shia LaBeouf on Drunken Arrest: 'I Am Deeply Ashamed' The 100 Greatest Movies of the Nineties Read Kesha's Poignant Essay About Celebratory New Song 'Woman'">for Rolling Stone</a>, which also published Thursday morning to coincide with the release of her latest single "Woman," Kesha explains what drove her to write her new female (em)power anthem, "Woman."</p>
<p>Kesha writes: </p>
<blockquote>"<span>I have always been a feminist, but for much of my life I felt like a little girl trying to figure things out. In the past few years, I have felt like a woman more than ever. I just feel the strength and awesomeness and power of being female. We hold the key to humanity. We decide if we populate the Earth, and if so, with whom. We could just decide not to have any more kids and the human race would be over. That is power. I just really f---king love being a woman and I wanted an anthem for anyone else who wants to yell about being self-sufficient and strong. (Yes, men, this song can be for you too.)</span>"</blockquote>
<p><span>"Woman" the second song to be released from "Rainbow" is a funk-filled pop song with a Western tinge. Kesha's pride in being a self-sufficient woman shines through, and it's a perfect song to amp anyone up, no matter what gender they identify with. </span></p>
<p>You can watch the music video for Kesha's new single "Woman" here:</p>
<div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lXyA4MXKIKo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/keshas-song-woman-is-all-about-female-empowerment-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-celebrities-look-like-symmetrical-faces-2017-7">Here’s what celebrities would look like with symmetrical faces</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/playstation-4-slim-amazon-prime-day-gaming-deal-2017-7 The PlayStation 4 Slim got a killer price drop for Prime Day http://www.businessinsider.com/playstation-4-slim-amazon-prime-day-gaming-deal-2017-7
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 14:00:00 -0400Brandt Ranj
<p><em>The </em><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks"><span><em>Insider Picks</em></span></a><em> team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.</em></p>
<p><span><a href="http://amzn.to/2u0CPMZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5964e560d9fccdb1278b5608-744/screen shot 2017-07-11 at 104833 am.png" alt="Screen Shot 2017 07 11 at 10.48.33 AM" data-mce-source="Amazon" /></a>It's Amazon's Prime Day, and while you can find thousands of deals in almost every major category this <a href="http://amzn.to/2u0CPMZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PlayStation 4 Slim bundle</a> is worth calling out on its own.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Although it's not Sony's most powerful console, the PlayStation 4 Slim can still play every game in the PlayStation 4 library.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's biggest feature is its small size, which allows it to fit discretely on a desk or inside an entertainment center.</p>
<p>What makes this bundle so special &mdash; besides the good price &mdash; is that it's actually kind of a "double bundle." The PlayStation 4 Slim is always bundled with a copy of Uncharted 4, but this Prime Day special also includes a digital copy of The Last Of Us Remastered.</p>
<p>You also get digital copies of the follow comics through Comixology:&nbsp;<span>Star Wars (2015) #1,&nbsp;Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #1,&nbsp;Mass Effect Discovery #1,&nbsp;Valiant High #1, and&nbsp;Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular.</span></p>
<p><span>If you've been looking for an inexpensive way to play games from the PlayStation 4's catalog, you probably won't find a better deal until the holiday season. This bundle also includes two of the console's best titles, so you'll have a lot to play right out of the box.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>The only thing this bundle doesn't include is an <a href="http://amzn.to/2u4GARN" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">additional controller,</a> but that only matters if you like playing multi-player games. If you like single-player games and comics, though, this bundle is a deal you'll want to take advantage of today.</span></p>
<h3><a href="http://amzn.to/2u0CPMZ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span>PS4 Slim 500GB Console - Uncharted 4 Bundle, $229 (originally $299.99)&nbsp;<strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">[You save $71]</span></strong></span></a></h3>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-amazon-prime-day-deals-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">For even more Prime Day deals, you can see our main deal page here.</a></strong></p><p><strong>DON'T MISS:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-tech-deals-amazon-prime-day-2017" >Amazon Prime Day's best tech deals you'd never find on your own</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/playstation-4-slim-amazon-prime-day-gaming-deal-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-tom-holland-spider-tattoo-2017-7'Spider-Man: Homecoming' actor Tom Holland got a tattoo on the bottom of his foot after landing his starring rolehttp://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-tom-holland-spider-tattoo-2017-7
Tue, 11 Jul 2017 11:29:37 -0400Kirsten Acuna
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5964ef087ba1363106735f57-1836/jon-watts-tom-holland.png" alt="jon watts tom holland" data-mce-source="BacktotheMovies/YouTube" data-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84HIsyY0Hmw"></p><p></p>
<h3><strong>The INSIDER Summary:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>"Spider-Man: Homecoming" actor Tom Holland got a tattoo of a spider on the bottom of his foot to commemorate nabbing the role.</strong></li>
<li><strong>He showed it off during a press tour for the film.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Holland said it was pretty painful.<br></strong></li>
<li><strong>He had to get the tattoo done three times because it kept fading.</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><br>"Spider-Man: Homecoming" actor Tom Holland has <a href="http://www.thisisinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-tom-holland-disappointed-suit-2017-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wanted to play the web-slinger for as long as he can remember</a>. When he finally landed the part, he made sure to make it a moment he wouldn't forget. </p>
<p>During the press tour for "Homecoming," Holland revealed a tattoo of the Spider-Man logo hanging down from a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84HIsyY0Hmw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">web to reporter Mark S. Allen for ABC10</a>. He didn't just get it in any location. Holland got it square on the bottom of his foot.</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5964ef087ba1363106735f58-1920/tom-holland-spider-man-tattoo-foot.png" alt="tom holland spider man tattoo foot" data-mce-source="BacktotheMovies/YouTube" data-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84HIsyY0Hmw"></p>
<p>Allen thought it was director Jon Watts who had a Spidey tattoo, but to his surprise, Holland revealed he had gotten some ink while he was in New York City. </p>
<p>Though Holland got the tattoo in a discreet location, it doesn't sound like it's one he'd recommend to other people.</p>
<p>"It hurt so much," said Holland. </p>
<p>But for a tattoo of his favorite web-crawler it was worth it. He ended up getting the tattoo done by celebrity tattoo artist Keith "Bang Bang" McCurdy of <a href="http://www.bangbangforever.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bang Bang NYC</a>. He's inked up celebs including Rihanna and LeBron James.</p>
<p>"I always wanted to get that Spider-man symbol on the bottom of my foot, but I just never thought I would get it done," said Holland. "The opportunity came about and he [Bang Bang] was like, 'Yeah we can do that.' And I had it done, and, yeah it was an amazing experience."</p>
<p>Getting a tattoo on the bottom of your foot once can be a painful experience, but Holland said he had to go in multiple times to get the tat to last. </p>
<p>"I actually had to have it done three times though because on the bottom of your foot it fades away so the third time he really sort of had to drive it home," he added.</p>
<p>Holland's not the first actor to get a tattoo to commemorate his time on a project. Bryan Cranston <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bryan-cranston-breaking-bad-tattoo-2013-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">has a hidden "Breaking Bad" tattoo</a> on the inside of one of his fingers. Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner <a href="http://www.thisisinsider.com/maisie-williams-sophie-turner-game-of-thrones-tattoos-2016-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">got matching "Game of Thrones" tattoos for their time on the show</a>.</p>
<p>You can watch Holland reveal his tattoo below:</p>
<div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/84HIsyY0Hmw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-tom-holland-spider-tattoo-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/annoying-resume-mistakes-buzzwords-grammar-typos-experience-careers-strategy-jobs-interview-application-employer-2017-7">A former HR exec who reviewed over 40,000 résumés says these 7 résumé mistakes annoy her</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-zendaya-audition-2017-7Zendaya had no idea she was trying out for 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' until she went to the auditionhttp://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-zendaya-audition-2017-7
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 17:25:00 -0400Kirsten Acuna
<p><strong><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5963bfd4bb35032c50747566-1863/zendaya-jimmy-fallon.png" alt="zendaya jimmy fallon" data-mce-source="NBC"></strong></p>
<h3><strong>The INSIDER Summary:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Zendaya stars in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" as a high school student named Michelle.</strong></li>
<li><strong>During an interview on Jimmy Fallon Zendaya said she didn't even know what movie she was auditioning for at first.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Zendaya said she auditioned for "Girl in Movie."</strong></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><br>Zendaya <a href="http://www.thisisinsider.com/meet-zendaya-spiderman-2016-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">goes from the Disney Channel</a> to her big screen debut in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" this summer. </p>
<p>The 20-year-old actress plays a mysterious character named Michelle in the final movie, but when she was going in to audition for the part, she was completely in the dark about the movie and role she'd be playing in the Marvel and Sony collaboration.</p>
<p>"I knew I was auditioning for 'girl in movie,'" Zendaya told Jimmy Fallon on "The Tonight Show" in June when he asked whether she knew she was going for a role in "Homecoming."</p>
<p>"It was great to get into character. It really helped," she joked.</p>
<p>In the film, Zendaya plays a quirky outsider who doesn't seem to have many friends. </p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5963bfd4bb35032c50747567-2000/zendaya-michelle-spider-man-homecoming.jpg" alt="zendaya michelle spider man homecoming" data-mce-source="Chuck Zlotnick/Sony Pictures Entertainment"></p>
<p>"She's kind of like a loner. She's super intellectual, very dry humor, one liners, pops in, pops out and I didn't even know what kind of character I was gonna play until I got there [to the audition] and got to sign the non-disclosure and then read the script," she added.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5963bfd4bb35032c50747568-1892/zendaya-jimmy-fallon-tonight-show.png" alt="zendaya jimmy fallon tonight show" data-mce-source="NBC"></p>
<p>Disney and Marvel are known to have some added secrecy when it comes to its projects. For example, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-disney-prevents-star-wars-spoilers-2015-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a lot of precautions were taken to ensure a tight lid</a> was kept on secrets from Disney and Lucasfilm's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" before it debuted in the 2015. Scripts were printed on red paper so they couldn't be photocopied and the movie tie-in book, which usually has spoilers, was delayed until after the movie came out.</p>
<p>When Zendaya was cast in "Homecoming," fans were automatically convinced she was playing Mary Jane Watson, one of Peter Parker's main love interests, but that wasn't necessarily the case. Her name really is Michelle in the final film, though <a href="http://www.thisisinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-who-is-michelle-2017-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">her identity is one that still has fans buzzing after the movie's over</a>.</p>
<p>You can watch Zendaya's interview with Fallon below:</p>
<div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/qm-jhH2Rp18" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-rubble-scene-vulnerable-2017-7" >One moment in 'Spider-Man Homecoming' shows how the movie gave the franchise new life by making its hero vulnerable</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-zendaya-audition-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-may-have-missed-season-7-episode-5-game-of-thrones-hbo-jon-snow-targaryen-dragons-easter-eggs-2017-8">6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 5 of 'Game of Thrones'</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-opening-vlog-2017-7You can watch one of the best parts of 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' right nowhttp://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-opening-vlog-2017-7
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 14:47:00 -0400Kirsten Acuna
<p><strong><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/595ffb70bb350325856a9fa9-1077/peter-parker-spider-man.png" alt="peter parker spider man" data-mce-source="Marvel/Sony" data-link="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg61aQTaJGw"></strong></p>
<h3><strong>The INSIDER Summary:</strong></h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Early in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" we see a humorous vlog by Peter Parker about his brief time with the Avengers in "Civil War." </strong></li>
<li><strong>The clip is now online in full for fans to see.</strong></li>
<li><strong><strong>The handheld, shaky camera work shows how this younger Spider-Man differs from the previous men in tights.</strong></strong></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><br>The moment we're first introduced to Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," you know this is unlike any Spider-Man movie you've seen before. The audience is shown a video blog by the 15-year-old superhero as he documents his experience of joining up with Iron Man in "Captain America: Civil War."</p>
<p>The result is an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg61aQTaJGw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">endearing four minutes</a> that evokes how any teen would react to meeting his superhero idols: they'd want to record the entire thing. Parker's not even 100% sure why he's along for the ride in Berlin. He says it's "something about Captain America going crazy." But he's so over-the-moon about helping out Tony Stark that he gets caught up in the perks of being around Marvel's billionaire, including a pilotless private jet, a large hotel room to himself, and an upgraded Spidey suit courtesy of Iron Man himself.</p>
<p>For a small kid from Queens, New York, it's a lot to take in. The video is so convincing that it may as well be a real video Holland made of himself while filming "Homecoming" that was leaked online.</p>
<p>Now, the entire <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg61aQTaJGw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">scene is online via Comicbook.com</a>. You can check out the scene below. "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is in theaters now.</p>
<div>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xg61aQTaJGw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-rubble-scene-vulnerable-2017-7" >One moment in 'Spider-Man Homecoming' shows how the movie gave the franchise new life by making its hero vulnerable</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/michael-keaton-vulture-spider-man-homecoming-2017-7" >Michael Keaton in 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' gives one of the best superhero villain performances ever</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-opening-vlog-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/details-game-of-thrones-season-7-episode-4-hbo-jon-snow-daenerys-2017-8">8 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 4 of 'Game of Thrones'</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-rubble-scene-vulnerable-2017-7One moment in 'Spider-Man Homecoming' shows how the movie gave the franchise new life by making its hero vulnerablehttp://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-rubble-scene-vulnerable-2017-7
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 11:49:39 -0400Amanda Luz Henning Santiago
<p><em><img class="float_left float_right" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/59638ebfd9fccd42008b5237-1776/spider-man-homecoming.jpg" alt="spider man homecoming" data-mce-source="Chuck Zlotnick/Sony Pictures Entertainment" data-mce-caption="Tom Holland as Peter Parker in &amp;quotSpider-man: Homecoming&amp;quot" />Warning: There are some minor spoilers contained in this post if you have not seen "Spider-Man: Homecoming" yet.</em></p>
<p>"Spider-Man: Homecoming" opened this weekend with a $117 million&nbsp;box office bang, much to the delight of Sony executives, who were rumored to be fraught with anxiety over franchise fatigue. Earnings for the Spider-Man franchise have been dwindling since the premiere of Sam Rami's "Spider-Man" in 2002, but things seem to be turning around.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There's already a lot of speculation as to how this newest iteration of Spider-Man was able to breathe new life into the franchise, but there is one particular moment in the film that points to what differentiates this Spider-Man reboot from its predecessors.</p>
<p>One of the central moments in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is when Peter Parker's nemesis Vulture (played by Michael Keaton), uses his alien-powered weaponry to drop a floor of a building on Parker, leaving him completely buried in rubble. While stuck under the rubble, Parker calls out for help, and seems beyond hopeless in this moment. In this scene,&nbsp;there is no chest beating, no sense of valor, just a kid stuck in a pile of rubble calling for help.</p>
<p>In an <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/spider-man-homecoming-vulture-twist-behind-michael-keatons-best-scene-1019557" title="'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Writers on the Scene That Redefines the Movie">interview with The Hollywood Reporter</a>, John Francis Daley, one of the "Spider-Man: Homecoming" screenwriters discussed this pivotal moment in the film,</p>
<blockquote>"That allusion was something Kevin Feige really wanted to put into this script, because it sort of embodies the internal struggle that Peter Parker is facing throughout, where he is his own greatest enemy in some ways, to have to accept himself before he can do anything helpful for the world. We have him starting the scene with such self-doubt and helplessness, in a way that you really see the kid. You feel for him. He's screaming for help, because he doesn't think he can do it, and then in the context of that flashback, he kind of realizes that that's been his biggest problem. He didn't have the confidence in himself to get himself out of there."</blockquote>
<p><span>The self doubt and hopelessness of this scene exemplifies the kind of vulnerability that seemed to be lacking in the previous reboot, "The Amazing Spider-Man."&nbsp;</span><span>Parker remains a bumbling boy throughout the entirety of "Spider-Man: Homecoming," and for this reason alone makes the character feel so much more authentically teenaged in a way that his 26 and 28-year-old Spider-peers never did.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>"Spider-Man: Homecoming" leaves out the radioactive spider bite, the death of Parker's uncle Ben, and focuses heavily on the difficulty that comes with trying to build confidence while still in high school, and is all the better for it. Sure, there's still crime-fighting and high-tech gear, as in any superhero film these days, but focusing on Parker's vulnerability, and creating a relatable coming-of-age story, seems to be what makes this Spider-Man special.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Vulnerability in superhero movies is not&nbsp;new. But Holland manages to expertly portray a Spider-Man whose biggest weakness is&nbsp;himself, and creates&nbsp;a refreshing new hero in the process. No magical backstory, no swoon-worthy romance, no bravado, just a kid from Queens trying to have faith in himself, keep his neighborhood safe, and keep himself from getting expelled at the same time.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-movie-review-2017-6" >'Spider-Man: Homecoming' is easily one of the best Spidey movies ever made</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-rubble-scene-vulnerable-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/neuroscientist-explains-the-best-exercise-to-improve-brain-function-2017-7">A neuroscientist explains why working out in the morning is best for your brain</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-who-is-michelle-2017-7'Spider-Man: Homecoming' reveals a fan favorite with a twist and now fans are guessing who she really ishttp://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-who-is-michelle-2017-7
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 11:32:00 -0400Kirsten Acuna
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/595fd3c5bb35032471019f17-1527/zendaya-spider-man-homecoming.jpg" alt="zendaya spider man homecoming" data-mce-source="Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP"></p><p></p>
<p><strong>Warning: There are massive spoilers ahead for "Spider-Man: Homecoming."</strong></p>
<p>Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. aren't the only stars you <a href="http://www.thisisinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-movie-review-2017-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">should keep your eyes on in the new "Spider-Man" movie</a>. Zendaya plays a new character, a mysterious high-school pal of Peter Parker's named Michelle. </p>
<p>She's a bit of an outsider, often observing her classmates instead of interacting with them too much. Zendaya has referred to the character as a "<a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/spider-man-homecomings-zendaya-responds-casting-controversy-945316" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">very dry, awkward, intellectual</a>." But there's more to Michelle than she let's on during most of the film. </p>
<p><strong>Last chance to head back before spoilers!</strong></p>
<p><strong><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/595fd3c5bb35032471019f18-1576/michelle-spider-man-homecoming.png" alt="michelle spider man homecoming" data-mce-source="Sony Pictures/Marvel"></strong></p>
<p>Near the end of the movie, Michelle reveals she goes by MJ. Spider-Man fans will recognize the moniker as the nickname of the web-slinger's love interest Mary Jane Watson. </p>
<p>The reveal is something fans have been <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/video/3010948/zendaya-spider-man-michelle-not-mary-jane/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">guessing at since Zendaya was first cast in the role</a> as the mystery character in "Homecoming," but it's still not completely clear who Michelle is in Marvel's Cinematic Universe.</p>
<p>Fans were confused as to whether Michelle really is Mary Jane or some other incarnation of the character. </p>
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So zendaya really isn't Mary Jane but MJ as in Michelle Jones? What?! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Zendaya?src=hash">#Zendaya</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpiderManHomecoming?src=hash">#SpiderManHomecoming</a> </p>— Queen Daya (@Zlaydaya) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/883324646363451394">July 7, 2017</a>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spoilers?src=hash">#spoilers</a> but Michelle is MJ like I am so happy Zendaya is so precious <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpiderManHomecoming?src=hash">#SpiderManHomecoming</a> </p>— Peyveste (@delikizzz) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/883185207465005057">July 7, 2017</a>
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I hope Michelle "MJ" Jones is the official "MJ", and by that I mean Peter's actual love interest in the next <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpidermanHomecoming?src=hash">#SpidermanHomecoming</a>. 😝 </p>— Sima (@Sima____) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/883358140984680451">July 7, 2017</a>
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guys we've all been saying michelle is MJ but what is she's a female miles morales <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpiderManHomecoming?src=hash">#SpiderManHomecoming</a> </p>— taylor 🌈✨ (@viideodrome) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/873447926017777666">June 10, 2017</a>
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<h3><strong>Who is Michelle aka "MJ"?</strong></h3>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/595edfdfbb35032062529b45-1568/spider-man.png" alt="spider man" data-mce-source="Sony Pictures/Marvel"></p>
<p>Some fans automatically thought the reveal of "MJ" automatically meant that Michelle is Mary Jane, but that's not the case. As <a href="http://variety.com/2017/film/news/spider-man-homecoming-box-office-opening-thursday-1202489202/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported by Variety</a>, the character's name is Michelle Jones. (Get it? MJ.)</p>
<p>Zendaya repeatedly <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/spider-man-homecomings-zendaya-responds-casting-controversy-945316" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">assured fans for months she wasn't playing Mary Jane</a> or Spidey's love interest, and for the most part, she kept her word — her first name is really Michelle in this iteration of Spider-Man. She also isn't linked to Peter romantically, at least in this movie. Since there's <a href="https://www.comicbookmovie.com/spider-man/homecoming/tom-holland-drops-spider-man-homecoming-sequel-hints-a152186" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">already a sequel to "Homecoming" in the works</a>, that could certainly change.</p>
<p>After five Spider-Man movies, it looks like the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of MJ is going to be more of an original take on the character.</p>
<p>"Spider-Man: Homecoming" is in theaters now.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tom-holland-spider-man-homecoming-bronx-science-undercover-marvel-2017-7" >The inside story of how 'Spider-Man' star Tom Holland went undercover in a NYC high school to prepare to be Peter Parker</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/spider-man-homecoming-who-is-michelle-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-uss-gerald-r-ford-aircraft-carrier-nimitz-2017-7">How the US's futuristic new aircraft carrier will change naval warfare forever</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-reportedly-introducing-mirror-like-finish-iphone-8-2017-7Apple is reportedly going to introduce a 'mirror-like' finish for the iPhone 8 (AAPL)http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-reportedly-introducing-mirror-like-finish-iphone-8-2017-7
Mon, 10 Jul 2017 06:58:39 -0400Edoardo Maggio
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/57d07fdf09d2937a048b6808-2400/img0578.jpg" alt="iphone 7 jet black" data-mce-source="Steve Kovach/Business Insider"></p><p></p>
<p>Prolific leaker Benjamin Geskin tweeted last Saturday that the much anticipated "iPhone 8" will come in four colorations, but one of them will apparently be a new "mirror-like" finish.</p>
<p>Geskin attached a photo of an older iPhone with a case that has a mirror back to give an idea of what the iPhone 8 might look like with the hyper-reflective glass back.</p>
<p>It would not be a first for smartphones, however, and not even for Apple itself.</p>
<p>The firm already released the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with the new "Jet Black" finish last year; one that is particularly glossy, and while we wouldn't go as far as calling it "mirror-like," it is the closest thing the Cupertino firm has done to launching a super-reflective iPhone.</p>
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2017 OLED iPhone - four colors. New one - mirror like. <a href="https://t.co/BFBBpBQ2Vm">pic.twitter.com/BFBBpBQ2Vm</a> </p>— Benjamin Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/883739622861414401">July 8, 2017</a>
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<p>Sony, however, may have beaten Apple on the time schedule. The Japanese firm introduced the super-high end Xperia XZ Premium earlier this year at Barcelona's Mobile World Congress, and the device sounds (and, of course, looks) a lot like how the iPhone 8 may end up being.</p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/59635e2cbb350329023877f6-2400/img20170227155450.jpg" alt="Sony Xperia XZ Premium" data-mce-source="Edoardo Maggio/Business Insider" data-mce-caption="Sony's Xperia XZ Premium in its hyper-reflective, very mirror-like &amp;quotChrome&amp;quot coloration."></p>
<p>The Xperia XZ Premium — which uses glass on the back, much like the <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/iphone-8-dummy-video-vertical-camera-all-glass-design-2017-6">iPhone rumors have pointed towards so far</a> — has an especially flashy presence as it reflects light like no other handheld device, which certainly makes it stand out, but it's also a fingerprint magnet.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-reportedly-introducing-mirror-like-finish-iphone-8-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-8-easy-fix-common-problems-apple-2017-8">8 easy ways to fix common iPhone problems</a></p>